Gun mounting in aircraft or the like



April 2, 1940. e. STEUERLEIN GUN MOUNTING IN AIRCRAFT OR THE LIKE Filed June 22, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z E? 7a 57 6 j 6/ a; 3 7 l K 2 66 5 55 54 Fig.3

April 2, 1940, s. STEUERLEIN GUN MOUNTING I-N AIRCRAFT OR THE LIKE Filed June 22, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Illllllllllll llllll GUN MOUNTING IN AIRCRAFT OR THE LIKE Gustav Steuerlein, lDessau, Germany, assignor to Junkers Flugzeug-und-Motrenwerke Aktiengesellschaft, Dessau, Germany Application June 22, 1937, Serial No. 149,559

. In Germany June 18, 1936 4 Claims. (01. 89-375) My invention pertains to gun mountings, more the foundation or base, the sighting device and especially for use in connection with aircraft or the machine gun mounted in the fuselage of an the like and particularly to mountings for autoaircraft, Figure 5 being a side elevation and Figmatic machine guns, that are sighted by means ure 6 a plan view.

5 of sighting devices spaced from the gun proper. Figure '7 is a plan view similar to Figure 6 but 5 In a gun mounting of this kind a plurality of showing the sight and the gun barrel pointed in automatic machine guns fixed to the body of an a different direction. aircraft at different points, for instance on the Referring to the drawings, the first to Figure 1, wings and onfthe front and rear ends of the the machine gun 5 and the sighting device 8, 9

0 fuselage, are sighted and fired from a gunners and I0 are carried by the base or foundation I 10 stand located for instance in the central secwhich is secured to the body of an aircraft d tion of the fuselage. However, this arrangement D SS Se t rigidity required to resist all is unsatisfactory for the following reasons. Du formin st e e to the forces acting upon the body of the craft, n Figure 1 a ring 3 Supporting the machine which result from the air current and the inertia gun 5 s r t ab mounted o e s or u 15 action, the body of the craft will become temti n I by me s f roller be rin Th r n porarily deformed, These deformations cr at 3 carries brackets d forming bearings for a shaft relative movements of that section of the fuse- 5 p Which the machine gun 5 s u e so lage where the gunners stand is lo at d d that it can be turned together with the said shaft 30 those sections where the guns are mounted. Conabout the axis of the letter- A Sleeve member l sequently, if the sight line of the sighting de ic carrying the sighting device 8, 9 and It), is rois adjusted to a point at a target and the barrel tatably mounted on the foundation I with its directed accordingly by mea of members, vertical axis parallel to the vertical axis of the adapted to transmit the movements of the sight ring The Sighting dev e consists of a lever line onto the barrel, the deformations of the air- 8, Divotelly mounted on the member 7 and craft body will cause the direction in which the W the Sighting ea s 9 a d ll. T e p vot gun is pointed to diverge from the sight i axis 45, about which the lever 8 turns, extends Therefore in such gun m ntin t aiming horizontally parallel with the axis of the shaft is possible only, if the body of the craft is not The sight li i jus y turning the deformed. sleeve member I and by rocking the lever 8. The 3 It is an object of my invention to avoid these resulting horizontal and vertical movements of drawbacks and to insure true aiming t all t the sight line rm are transmitted to the barrel even if the bodyof the aircraft becomes de- 0f the machine E1111 5 80 that the Sight line and formed. It is a further object of my invention the barrel always point in the Same horiZOhtel to-provide a simple construction, requiring very and vertical directions. A vertical shaft I3 ro- 5 little space, so that it can be installed in fusetatably mounted in hearings on e f u a o I lages or other sections of small aircraft. has a Crank thereon, and gears d I5 In the drawings afixed to this specification Which mesh with gears d 11 p v ed O and forming part thereof some embodiments of the ring 3 and e e member 1 respectively- The so; my invention are illustrated diagrammatically meshing gears I4 and 5, and I5 and I! are of 40 by way of example, wherein lik n b denote equal ratio so that when the crank I2 is turned like parts. the member I and ring 3 turn through equal an- In the drawings: gles. For vertical movement of the lever B and Fig. 1 is a section on the centre lines of the s 5 a shaft 20 is pp r i a e in I on parts supporting the gun and the sighting dethe foundation I coaxially with the sleeve mem- 45 vice, displaying the means for transmittin t ber I. This shaft has a crank 2i and a bevel gear movements of the sight line onto the barrel of 22 at One extremity While its Other extremity 23 the machine gun, is threaded. This threaded end engages a shackle Fig. 2 is a similar section of another embodi- 2A which is vertically slidable in guides on the foundation I and is held by these guides against 5o ment,

Figure 3 Ba partial section on the line III-III rotary movement. A rod 28 terminating at one of Figure 2. extremity in a rack 30 is rotatably supported at Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing 27 on the shackle 26, and is guided vertically at a third modification. 29 in the sleeve member I by which it is held Figures 5 and 6 are diagrammatic views of against rotation relative to the latter. The rack is mounted in bearin s formed integral with portions I8 and I9 of the foundation I. On the shaft 25 are fixed bevel gears 36 and 31 meshing with bevel gears 38 and 89 fixed on threaded spindle 48 and M respectively which are in threaded engagement with threaded apertures formed in a ring 42 arranged beneath and coaxially with the ring 3. A rod I44 has a bifurcated extremity 43 which engages the lower and upper sides of the ring 42, and at its opposite extremity a rack 46 is provided which projects through a vertical guide I45 on the ring 3. The rack 46 engages a segmental gear 41 fixed on the shaft 6.

The device operates as follows: By turning the v shaft I3 in the direction of the arrow a the sleeve member I carrying the sighting device and the ring 3 carrying the machine gun are rotated through equal angles. By turning the shaft 28 in the direction on the arrow b the shaft 25 and the spindles 48 and M are rotated simultaneously to lower the ring 42 and shackle 24. Downward movement of the ring 42 moves the rack I44 downward thereby lowering the elevation of the gun 5 through the segmental gear 41, and downward movement of the shackle 24 lowers the elevation of the sight 8 correspondingly through the rack 28 and its coacting segmental gear 3i. Thus adjustment of the sight line x-x and the gun barrel through equal angles in the direction of the arrows c, d is obtained.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 2 and 3 the transmission of the movements of the sight line :r-a: to the gun barrel is effected in a diiferent manner. A bracket 50 on the base or foundation I supports a shaft 5| carrying a crank 52 and a helical gear 53 which meshes with a helical gear 54 fixed on a vertical shaft 55 rotatably supported by the foundation I. Fixed on the shaft 55 is a gear I 4 meshing with the gear I6 on the sleeve member Ia and a gear I5 meshing with the gear IT on the ring 3. A bracket 56 supports a shaft 51 carrying a crank 58 and a helical gear 59 fixed .on the said shaft meshes with a helical gear 69 fixed on a vertical shaft 6|. A threaded end 18 of the latter shaft engages a shackle I9 vertically slidable in the foundation I but held by the latter against rotation. A circular rack 8I' on a rod extending from the shackle I9 meshes with a segmental gear 44 fixed on the shaft 45 on which the lever B is also secured.

On the vertical shaft 6| is fixed a gear 62 meshing with a gear 63 loose on the shaft 55 and carrying a bevel gear 64 which meshes with bevel gears 61 and 68 rotatably supported by arms 65 and 66 respectively keyed on the shaft 55. The bevel gears 66 and 61 mesh with another bevel gear 69 which is loosely mounted on the shaft 55. The bevel gear 69 is rigidly connected to a gear III which meshes with an external gear l'I formed around the periphery of an annulus I2 arranged coaxially with the ring 3 and mounted for rotation around thelatter. The annulus 12 also has an internal gear 13 formed thereon which mesheswith a gear I4 keyed on a shaft 15 rotatably mounted on the ring 3. A worm I6 on the shaft I5 engages a segmental gear 11 fixed on the shaft 6 which carries the gun 5 for rotation therewith.

By rotation of the crank 52 the shaft 55 and the gears I4 and I5 fixed thereon are turned through the helical gears 53 and 54. The gears I4 and I5 meshing with the gears I6 and I1 respectively rotate the sleeve member Ia carrying the sighting device, and the ring 3 carrying the machine gun, simultaneously through equal angles. The bevel gears 61 and 68 then roll on the bevel gear 64 which is not rotated and cause the bevel gear 69 to rotate in the same direction as the shaft 55.

When the shaft 55 is rotated the ring 3 and the annulus 12 must turn at the same speed. This is accomplished in the following manner. The external gear II and the gear I! are both the same diameter, and the gears I5 and I8 which mesh with them are also the same diameter. The bevel gears 6! and 68 are carried by the arms 65 and 66 respectively which are fixed on the shaft 55; and the gear 64 is now stationary. Therefore in order that the gears 69 and I0 shall turn at the same speed as the shaft 55 and the gear II, the gear 6'4 must be half the diameter of the gear 69. Thus upon rotation of the crank 52 the annulus and ring turn together at the same speed so that rotation of the ring does not alter the elevation of the gun 5.

In order to adjust the sight line x-a: and the barrel of the gun 5 in a vertical direction the crank 58 is turned and the shaft 6| and the gear 62 are rotated thereby. Similar to the arrangement shown in Figure 1, rotation of the threaded end of the shaftGI raises or lowers the shackle I9 together with the circular rack 8|, thereby turning the segmental gear 44 and adjusting the sight line in a vertical direction. Rotation of the gear 62 is transmitted to the bevel gear 64 through a gear63 and to the bevel gear 69 by the bevel gears 61 and 68 the axes of which (since the shaft 55 is now not rotated) are in fixed position. Rotation of the bevel gear 69 is transmitted to the annulus I2 through the gear 18 which is integral with the bevel gear 69, and the annulus is rotated relative to the ring 3 which is then stationary. The internal gear I3 of the annulus turns the gear I4 and the worm l6, and the latter rotates the segmental gear 11 and the shaft 8 to which the barrel of the gun is secured. The gear ratio is so determined that the sight line :I::c

and the gun barrel move together through equal angles.-

In the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 3 the sight line and the gun barrel are adjusted by two separate means, the cranks I2 and 2I or the cranks 52 and 58. If it is desired to adjust them by means of a single control the arrangement shown in Figure 4, for example, may be resorted to. There a hand lever serving as the control member is pivoted on a vertical shaft 92 rotatably mounted on the base or foundation I. The pivot axis of the lever 90 extends horizontally at right angles to the axis of the shaft 92, thus the lever 9Il-is mounted for universal movement and is adapted to be pointed in any desired direction. Fixed on the shaft 92 is a gear 93 which meshes with a gear 94 fixed on a vertical shaft I94 rotatably mounted in the foundation I and having gears 95 and 91 thereon. The gear 95 meshes with a gear 96 dependingly mounted beneath the ring 3 by means of arms 99. The gear 91 on the shaft I94 meshes with a gear 98 integral with a member I III carrying the sighting device 8, 9, I9, and rotatably mounted on an extension of the foundation I. The ratios of the gears 93, 94, 95, 96, 91 and 98 are such that the member I Ill and the ring 3 are rotated simultaneously through equal angles by moving the lever 98 in a horizontal direction.

on a pin 9! on which the hand lever 90 is secured is fixed a segmental gear I62 which meshes with a rack I03 extending from a sleeve I06 mounted for reciprocation on the shaft 92 and held against rotation relative to the latter. A bracket I06 on the foundation I carries a double armed lever till one arm of which engages an annular groove Hi5 formed around the sleeve EM while the other arm engages a similar annular groove I08 formed around the rod N19. The rod is mounted for axial movement through the gear 96 but is held against rotation independently of the latter. This rod Hi9 carries a rack H which engages a segmental gear Ill fixed on the shaft 6 by which the machine gun is carried.

A rod I I5 pivoted on the lever I01 carries a rack. H9 which is freely mounted at Him the said rod. The rack reciprocates through a guide H8 in the member H but is held against independent rotation by its teeth some of which are always in engagement with a segmental gear M6 fixed together with the lever B on the shaft d5.

By moving the lever 80 radially the sleeve ill is moved vertically and its movement is transmitted to the lever 8 and the gun barrel 5 through the lever I01. The length of the arms of the latter and the radii of the segmental gears 46 and III are so proportioned that the lever 90, the sight lever 8 and the gun barrel 5 move simultaneously through equal angles.

The operation of this embodiment offers the advantage that in order to adjust the sight line az-a: and the gun barrel the lever 90 is merely pointed at the target whereby the sight line and gun barrel are adjusted in the same direction.

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate the way in which the invention is applied to the fuselage of an aircraft, the gunners stand being located near the I operating members (cranks l2 and 2!) and near the machine gun 5. If, as shown, the gun is within reach of the gunner, failures, such as gun jamming may be readily repaired by the gunner from his stand. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the foundation I carrying the gun 5 and the sighting device 8, 9, In may be mounted in comparatively small fuselages that are just wide enough to accommodate the gunner.

Fig. 'I shows how the sight line :t-m and the gun barrel are adjusted without the gunner bei compelled to move about.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim: r

1. In mechanism of the class described a substantially rigid base adapted to resist forces tending to deform it and to be fixedly' mounted on an aircraft, a gun mount supported by said base for independent rotation about a vertical axis, a gun positioned on said mount for rotation about a horizontal axis, a sight mount supported'by said base for independent rotation about a vertical axis, a sight positioned on said mount for rotation about a horizontal axis, means for rotating said gun and sight mounts simultaneously through the same angle about their respective vertical axes, means for rotating said gun and sight simultaneously through the same angle about their respective horizontal axes, and a single actuating means coupled with each of said ing to deform it and to be fixedly mounted on an aircraft, a gun mount supported by said base for independent rotation about a vertical axis, a gun positioned on said mount for rotation about a horizontal axis, a sight mount supported by said base for independent rotation about a vertical axis, a sight positioned on said sight mount for rotation about a horizontal axis, means for rotating said gun and sight mounts simultaneously through the same angle about their respective vertical axes, means for rotating said gun and sight simultaneously through the same angle about their respective horizontal axes, and a single actuating means coupled with each of said last named means for operating them selectively or together, said actuating means including a longitudinally extending member so coupled with the respective rotating means as to. occupy at all times a position with reference to the horizontal and vertical identical with that of the gun and sight.

3. In an airplane having a cockpit provided with a gunners seat, a gun mount comprising a substantially rigid base adapted to resist forces tending to deform it fixedly positioned in operative relation to said cockpit and gunners seat, a gun mounted thereon for independent rota tion about vertical and horizontal axes, a sight mounted thereon in spaced relation to said gun, adjacent the normal head position of the gunner and in his normal line of vision, for independent rotation about vertical and horizontal axes, and independently operable means including an actuating member extending below said base to a point inside the cockpit within easy reach of the gunners seat coupled with said gun and sight for retating them simultaneously through the same angle about their vertical or horizontal axes whereby said gun and sight may be manipulated from the gunner's seat with minimum exposure of the operator.

4. In an arrangement of the character described the combination of a rigid base, an annular ring mounted thereon for rotation about a vertical axis, a member including'a sight spaced from said ring and mounted for rotary movement on the base about a vertical axis, a gun pivoted on the ring about a horizontal axis eccentric with reference to the ring, a shaft rotatably supported on the base, a gear on the ring and a gear on said member, gears on. said shaft meshing with each of the aforesaid gears to turn the ring and member together through equal angles, a second shaft rotatably supported on the base, a segmental gear fixed to the sight, a rack engaging said segmental gear, means moving said rack and segmental gear by rotation of said shaft, coacting gear means mounted upon both said shafts and around said ring, a second segmental gear fixed on; said gun, and means cooperating with said as gear means and said second segmental gear whereby upon rotation of said second shaft said 81m. and sight are correspondingly adjusted for elevation. 

